Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-07-15
THE COMPOST HEAP.
An Excellent Method OF Saving Manure
Made During the Summer.

| Hiore nearly correct 10 say tnhU very
little of the manure made in summer is
so stored and treated that it is of much
value in fertilizing the land that is
to be cultivated. The dung of horses
is generally thrown out of the windows
or doors Of tho stable into heaps, where
1t becomes firefanged and is rendered
nearly useless. The droppings of cat
tie in pastures form small, compact
masses, that soon become dry and
hard. Grass will not grow through
them, and that which is near them is
SO rank that grazing animals will not
eat it The places they occupy are
likely to grow up with weeds.
The droppings of sheep are of
great value TO pastures. as they
are so well distributed that
they do not injure growing vegetation.
Those of young horses do not iniure
grass like the droppings of cattle, as
they do not form compact masses. If
pains were taken to scatter them about
once week they would be very bene-
fetal. and the same is true of tho
dropplngs of cattle. Being broken
up and scattered they would be in a
condition to bo acted on by the rains
and to be of value to the growing
grass.
The manure of hogs kept in pens or
small yards is likely to be very offen-
siye during warm weather and evapor-
ates, II the yard or pen is kept sup
piled with peat swamp muck, or
green grass or old straw, the waste re-
forred to may be largely prevented.
But when this is done the quarters
will be constantly dirty and in the
worst condition to insure the health of
the animals kept in them. The odor
from the hog pen, or yard. when kept
in bad condition will pene-
trate the house and milk
room and be very offensive. A
dry farm-yard in which milking is to
be done during the summer is essential
alike to the comfort of the cows and
tho persons who milk them. Still the
droppings of COWS left on a dry and
hard surface soon become like those in
the pasture. The ammonia in them
evaporates, and the remainder becomes
solid and so remains till it is moistened
by the rains. Frequent washings carry
off the most valuable fertilizing SUBJ
stances 1t contains, and in the course
Of a few months little remains but
woody fiber that was partly decom-
posed during the process of digestion.
In order TO retain the substances
likely to become volatile, to prevent
dpying and lcaching. and to promote
fermentation under the best possible
circumstances, the dung made by cat
tie, horses and hogs during the sum-
mer should be composted in heaps
along with layers of peat, swamp
muck or other suitable materials. For
want of any thing better, green
grass, old, damp straw or moldy
hay may be used to form the alternate
layers. In connecting the heap.
swamp muck, or some substitute for
it. should be placed ON the ground to
the thickness of from six to twelve
inches. On this should be thrown the
fresh dung Of the cattle, horses and pigs.
There is a great advantage in having
the dung of horses and cattle in the
same layer, as they are of mutual as
sistance in the process of fermentation.
When this layer is six inches thick it
should be covered with muck or its
substitute, and well tramped down,
Then should follow another layer OF
manure, and another Of muck, until
the heap is as high as it can be con-
veniently built. The lateral Dimensions
of the heap will, of course. depend on
the number of animals whose dung is
to be composted.
In some dairy countries where many
COWS are milked In yards and where
manure Is valuable this system of com.
posting cow dung has long been prac.
ticed with the best results. It enables
the dairyman to keep his milking
yard in cleanly condition, and also
enables him to make q large quanti-
ty of manure during the summer.
1t is found that tho mixture of muck
and dung, when fermented together, is
fully equal to the samc amount of
dung alone as tits generally fermented.
The muck or other material used for
the alternate layers retains much
moisture, keeps the manure cool, and
allows fermentation to 90 on very
slowly. The muck absorbs all the
gases that are given off by the dung as
it ferments and retains them till they
are applied to the land and are appro-
priated by growing plants. 1t also un-
dergoes a partial fermentation itself,
and becomes q valuable fertilizer. A
compost heap made in this manner
gives the best manure that can be
obtained for fertilizing the garden
plat or any portion of the land where
rank dung can not be used with safety
to the crop.
The only objection to this method of
composing fresh dung during the sum-
mer is the labor required to collect tho
materials and put them where they be-
long. During the season of plant
ing, cultivating and harvesting
grass and grain there is likely
to be employment for al the help
kept on most farms. There is no time
for drawing much from